My Wonderland
by TheBugSmasher
Summary: This is my Wonderland. My Home. Even if all of my friends are mad and the queen wants to chop my head off, this is my Wonderland. And I am Alice.
1. Chapter 1

"Alice? Would you stop daydreaming already?! We haven't got time to dawdle about! The Queen is coming!" The gloved hand of the White Rabbit grabs my wrist and drags me along the path. "I was listening to the flowers." I say. "They were telling me about you." He doesn't slow his pace but looks down at me. He looks human now, (except the pure whit rabbit ears) with his brilliant white hair reaching to his shoulders. He resembles the white rabbit I had chased down the hole so long ago."And what were they saying about me?" He asked dryly. "They were saying that you were always in a hurry and you never take the time to smell them." I stick my tounge out at him. "Well why would I smell them when YOU can tell me how they smell? Now hurry, the Hatter is waiting."

I try to slow him as much as possible. "Alice! The Queen is coming! Do you even understand what that means?!" I look at my feet and mumble. "Then if you WANT to get your head chopped off then by all means, stay here!" he yells. We set off again. Nearly running. The colorful trees smacking us as we go. Branches tear at my dress and cut my face. Finally we reach our destination.

The clearing where a huge table was flipped over. Broken china and broken splinters of chairs were scattered about. It surprises me how much damage the card knights had caused looking for us. The Rabbit crossed stepping on the shards of glass and splinters. He went to one side of the huge table. "Here, help me lift this." I carefully make my way to the other side of the long table. I grabbed the leg that's nearly as tall as me. "On thrice." I shoot him a confused look. "Thrice?" He ignored me. "Once. Twice. Thrice!" We lift the huge table up about two inches from the grass. "Just move it to the side." I moved with him. Before my arms gave out, I lightly set the table down. Rabbit dropped it carelessly, making it fall, creating more mess. "There." He said with A satisfied grin.

I shake my head then look around. "Where's Hatter." I ask but when he doesn't answer I turn to see him, on the ground, knocking on the grass. "what are you doing?" Again, I get no answer. Finally I get on my hands and knees to join him. We went for ten minutes, putting our ears to the grass, knocking, and then moving. We repeat the same ritual for about ten minutes until I knock in the middle of where the table used to stand. The patch of grass looks no different than any other patch but when I knocked it a hallow thump met my ear. "Aha!" The Rabbit yells out and stands up. "You've found it!" I look to him and sigh. "Found what?" He rushes over to me and kneels to the patch. He knocks a rythym onto the ground. The patch of grass started to move. I got to my feet quickly and took a step back. I noticed an entricately carved door knob on the patch that I could've sworn wasn't there when I was knocking. The patch, lifts up with clods of dirt falling and out pops the head of the Hare.

His eyes search until they fall on us. "Well you look tidy dont you?" I look down to my soiled dress with grass stains on my stockings and look to the Rabbit. His kingdom brilliant red Time Keeper's uniform had been dulled and torn. Dirt covered his bleach white trousers. "Quite." I say. The Rabbit taps his foot impatiently and asks "Well aren't you going to invite us in?" The Hare straightens up. "Right! Follow me." And then it seems as if the Hare simply disapears. I walk closer to the square hole and I see leading down into the soil were stairs. The Rabbit pushes me a little "Go on." I see that the stairs are eerily lit by blue candles. I hesitate but I trust the Rabbit and go down. The Rabbit follows and shuts the door behind him.

With the door shut the stairs become all the more frightening. The only light sorce is the blue of the candles spread out along the dirt walls, barely close enough to not make it so dark not to see. I go down, with the Rabbit right next to me. I would've grabbed him but I didn't want to look like a fool so I walked next to him in silence. Then we hear a thumping. Or rather, more of a thrumming. A continous beat. "Horses!" The Rabbit whispers sharply. "Wha-" He covered my mouth with his hand and held me so tight I could hardly breathe. My heart pounds loud and rattles against my ribcage. It beats so fast I feel it may leap out of my chest at any moment. "FIND HER!" I hear the shrilling voice of the Queen shriek. "I WANT HER HEAD! THE BLONDE LITTLE BEAST!" She's so loud it seems as if shes right here with us in the dark hall. Then, the voice of a card knight can be hear right over our head. The door! I remember the door in the grass. What if they find it? I shake with fear and the Rabbit squeezes me. He whispered so sofly in my ear I hardly heard him. "Any little noise might give us away. Be very still." It took everything I had. My muscles went rigid. My legs stiff. They felt like they would give out. Then, finally, one of the card knights spoke. "She's not here your majesty. As I've told you before, we scoured the place and couldn't find anything." Silence. "You, dare question me? YOU DARE QUESTION YOUR QUEEN?!" I heard the scrambling of the card knights. "I, no your majesty I just..." The card knight voice was pleading. Begging for the queen to understand. "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" Tears threatened to spill on to my cheeks. This woman. This evil, sick, malicious woman is after me. And people, are dying because of it. I feel a hate like no other start to build in my chest.

"SEARCH! SEARCH EVERYWHERE! INTERROGATE THE FLOWERS! FIND THE DODO BIRD! SEARCH THAT BLODDY TRADER WHITE RABBIT'S HOUSE!" I almost make a noise. Rabbit's house?

After what seems like centuries, the knights leave. Their horses hoof beats grow softer and then eventually fade out. The Rabbits grip slackens and I nearly fall before he straightens me. Then I burst into tears. "They're going to your house! I can't believe what I've done! Oh Rabbit I'm so sorry!" He sets me down on the stairs. "Calm down Alice. It's worth keeping you safe." I start to hyperventilate so no words can come. We sit there for nearly fifteen minutes before he can persuade me to keep going. "C'mon." he says. "The Hatter is waiting."

The Mad Hatter. When I fisrt got to this strange world, he out of all of the strange people I've met, was the most peculiar. He also is the one closest to me. Mad. That is one of many descriptions of him. Crazy, goofy, and odd also come to mind. Why is a raven like a writing desk? I'll never know.

We reach the end of the stairs and a long hallway greets us. At the very end, I see a light. We continue on in this strange tunnel. The closer we get to the glow, the better I feel. Warmer. I start to smile. I hear talking and laughter and the clinking of tea cups. The excitement overwhelmed me and I start sprinting. At last. I'm home.


	2. Chapter 2

It's the moments like this one that make feel like everything's all right in the world. Or rather, the opposite of right but still, happy. The cozy little burrow under the dirt made a perfect place to be secure and make plans to overthrow the Queen Of Hearts. I, wasn't the one making plans, but it was nice to know that I could be safe. For a little while at least.

I had rushed here as quickly as I could. I stopped when I came to the entrance. My eyes fell immediately on the Hatter. He had shadows darkening his face from his large top hat, but that didn't make him look sinister. On the contrary, a grin had spread across his face as our eyes met. He lifted the teacup in his hand. "To Alice." he said. "For making these plans possible." I had not known at the time what plans he was talking about, but I was sure it had something to do with the Queen. Then I look around, as familiar and unfamiliar faces look to me. They all had raised some sort of cup or glass together and in unison said "To Alice." The Hatter smirked. "Nice of you to finally join us."

I felt my face heat up as a cherry blush spreads along my cheeks. I search the small room for a place to sit. I notice now that the tiny space was crowded by a huge table in which was covered in all sorts of strange food and yes, tea. The occupants sat closely to each other chattering and laughing. At one end, in front of the Hatter, there were maps of what looked like the Queen's castle with ink markings of arrows and xs.

"Alice! Over here!" I rest my eyes on a familiar pair of boys. Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum. One of them had pushed the other out of his chair so that I could sit. Then that one had pushed him out of HIS seat. "No over here Alice next to me!" he called. The other stood up, and punched the other boy. They had started fighting on the almost non- space existent space behind the chairs and I watched helplessly. "Actually boys, I have a few things to discuss with miss Alice so she'll be sitting next to me." the Hatter called.

And that's where I am now. In this cozy room, filled with happy faces and food. Lots of food. I eat a soup like dish. It's purple and tastes like a beef broth mix with a twangy sort of flavor. It warms me up and I hadn't noticed that I was so cold that it seemed to seep into my bones. "Alice, manners." The Rabbit looks at me sternly then continues talking. I prop up my elbows on to the table and slurp my soup. The Hatter sits next to me at the end of the table, quietly listening to the Rabbit tell him about how we escaped the castle and events leading up to now. I can't tell what could be going through his mind at the moment. His hat darkens his face to the extent that I can't see his expression.

Then the pain hits. It starts in my chest then spreads to my head. It feels as if large splinters were jammed into my skull and torso. The air seems to be pulled from my lungs and I can't get it back. I see burst of color in my vision then it's black. I feel as if I were in the rabbit hole again, but instead of falling down, I was spiraling up. When I stop, I open my eyes and I'm in a white room. Im binded by something. I can't move my arms but my legs are free. I see a masked woman come towards me. She looks to be wearing a nurse's uniform from my other world. She has something in her hand. Something sharp. My heart begins to run and I kick my legs at her but it is no use. Without my arms I'm defenseless. I close my eyes and start screaming for her to leave.

It's black again. Im spinning. Down down down I spin. When the world stops spinning and my heart slows to a thumping rather than a pounding in my ribcage, I open my eyes. The room, is silent. Every head is turned to me and every pair of eyes seem to burn holes into me. "It was a vision. Wasn't it?" I look to the Hatter. His face, I now can see. his chocolate eyes flecked with gold are concerned. His eyebrows pulled down and his body rigid and stiff. I didn't answer him but instead look down. I study my hands clenched into fists and pretend no one is looking at me. Tears force their way down my cheeks and slip silently into my now cold soup. "Wonderland is my home." I say. I'm not sure, why I choose to make that a point but I do. Perhaps because it feels good. To know where I belong.

The Hatter stands. "Everybody, I think it is now time for us to head to sleep." I look at him. His tall hat is patched and worn out. His coat also patched is long a nearly reaches his knees. I never took the time to really look at him. Mad as he may be, there's something else about him. A certain calm, and command when it's needed. He looks back at me. "Alice, come with me." He reaches hand down to me. I take it and stand. Tears streaming down my face.

Everyone leaves through hallways I hadn't noticed before but these, were lit instead of eerie blue lights were light by soft scarlet candle. The red wasn't suffocating. It just lightly bounces along the walls in such a way, it seems light the lights were dancing with the shadows. The Hatter had taken me down a such hallway with pictures of people. Men and women. No animals or flowers or instruments. Humans. It's odd. They stand out in a way I can't describe. Normal. It's odd to see something so normal, in this world of weird.

He leads me into and enormous bedroom with no windows. Books and papers are piled everywhere and on a large desk. A king size four post bed is on a platform. The curtains, blankets and sheets were all a fine cloth but it too was covered in books and and papers. I stand in the door way as the Hatter goes up the platform and to the bed and clears the bed, throwing books and papers onto the floor carelessly. He goes to a dresser. It was carved to resemble an animal of some sort. A large cat. He pulls out funny looking clothes and throws them too to the thick carpet until he finds what he is looking for. He goes back to me and gives me th cloth. "Put this on and get comfortable. I'll be waiting outside the door. Call me when you are done. We need to talk." he says.

He leaves the room and shuts the door behind him. I don't question his motives. I learned that it is best not to question someone who is mad. Especially the Hatter. I undress and put on what he had given me. It was a long, white, flowing night dress. It fit me perfect. I open the door and look in the hallway. The Hatter was standing guard to the side of the door. He came in and sat down on a dusty couch that I hadn't noticed. I get a good look at the room now. It was very elegant but dirty and cluttered. "Whose room is this?" I asked looking around at the odd art and furniture. "Mine." The Hatter said "Here, come sit." I do as he says.

"Alice, I need you to tell me the vision." I sigh. Somehow I knew he wouldn't let it go so I settle more comfortably beside him and recount what I saw. He listens intently hanging on every word. "Why do you think these happen?" He asks. "Perhaps I'm mad." I say tiredly. He gets a look on his face as if he is considering the possibility. I roll my eyes. Sarcasm was not a well known concept in Wonderland. "Alice, you know the queen will do everything in her power to get you killed." he said it so blunt that I look to him. "I know" I say. "This whole thing is my fault. If I hadn't angered her people wouldn't be getting hurt and she wouldn't be killing people to find me." Tears stream down my face the third time today. "Alice look at me." the Hatter said sternly. I look at him. The blood rushes to my face. Im embarrassed at my tears. His eyes were determined. "Alice were it not for you we wouldn't have chance. We've been waiting for years for a reason. A reason to end this oppression. To end her dictator rule over us." his voice is strained. I finally can get a view of how Wonderland was before I came. This whole mess makes me confused. "Look, I'm tired." I say. He looks as if I had snapped him back into reality. "Right! You'll be sleeping here for the night." I glance at him. His eyes were red and dark shadows under them. "Then where will you sleep?" I ask. "I don't." was his simple reply. I sigh, too tired to argue with him. I stand, and drag my feet to the bed. I find it miraculous that I could move at all. I slip under the covers not caring about the cloud of dust that rises when I plop my head on the pillow.

The Hatter comes to me and pulls the blankets fully over me. "Sweet dreams Alice." before I let unconsciousness take me I whisper to him "Sweet dreams Hatter."


	3. Chapter 3

My dream is confusing. I'm in the white room again. Except this time I'm alone. I realize that the room is padded like they glued a bunch of hard pillows to the walls and floor of the room. Even the door, that I now notice, is padded and has no knob or handle of any kind only a small circular window. It opens and a man steps in. He is elderly but looks professional. He has on an expensive suit and his shoes are shiny leather. He has many wrinkles and his hair is as white as Rabbit's. He comes to me and kneels. I try to edge away from him as far I can, remembering the nurse. Then he speaks. "Hello, you don't have to be afraid of me dear, I won't hurt you." His eyes are sympathetic and kind. I feel I can trust this stranger.

"Who are you?" My voice is hoarse and unrecognizable. I am surprised by it. "I am a friend. I'm here to help you." I believe him but help with what? Overthrowing the Queen? "Can you tell me your name?" he says. I clear my throat this time. "Alice." I say. My name rings throughout the room. He makes a sad smile. "Now dear, we both know that isn't your name." I look at him. He must be confused so I want to help him. "No, my name is Alice." I smile at him expecting him to say something like "Oh of course! My mistake." but all he says "No dear it's not, now tell me your name." I start getting irritated with him. Whoever he is he needs to know my name if he's going to help in any way at all. "My name is Alice. I'M Alice." I say I'm with emphasis hoping that he figures it out. "Tell me your real name." Now I'm angry at him. How can this stranger come in and tell me that my own name is wrong? "My name is Alice! Alice! That's my name!" My throat hurts. It feels as if I've been yelling this whole time. "Alice! A-L-I-C-E! Alice!"

He stands, the door opens again and the nurse comes in with a needle like before. "No! Don't come near me!" I start to squirm. Whoever these people are, they aren't good. I scream as loud as I can. Then I start to sob. "Please just leave me alone!" but it's too late. The nurse is close and I close my eyes again tears streaming from them.

I wake with a start. "Alice! Alice are you ok?!" The Hatter is there. I feel the tears falling down my cheeks and my throat hurts. I must have been screaming in my sleep. "Oh Hatter! I had the most horrible dream!" I grasp him and start sobbing. He strokes my hair. "Shhhh it's ok. I'm here it's ok." I sit back and wipe my eyes. "I'm sorry. It scared me so much." His face is concerned. He looks really tired. "Well, tell me." I tell him about the man and the nurse and everything. "It wasn't real Alice. You're in Wonderland, here, and nothing will hurt you. I won't let it ok?" I take a deep breath. "Ok." I slip back under the blankets. I now notice that they're a dark royal blue. My favorite color. It calms me. The Hatter stands. "Oh no!" I swiftly grab his coat. "Please Hatter, just stay here with me. Please. I can't stand to be alone now." He considers me, and eventually sits back down. "I'm sorry." I say. "Don't be. I understand." He says. I rest my head on the pillow and look to him. "Can you sing to me?" He sits back on the bed. "Sing to you?" I close my eyes and imagine my mother when she used to sing to me when I had bad dreams. I open them again. "Yes. Didn't your mother ever sing to you when you went to bed?" I say. "I suppose, there was one song he says." I close my eyes again and smile. "Then sing it." He hesitates. "Ok." He sings. His voice is soft and calms me. Then I fall asleep.

)O(

I wake to the smell of food and my stomach rumbles. I rise out of bed to notice that the Hatter had fallen asleep on the bed near my legs. I shake him. "No don't let the warglies free! Wha?" he looked around confused. His clothes were wrinkled and he had sleep lines on his face. His hat had fallen off and his hair was disheveled. I roll my eyes and smile."Hatter, food?" I say patiently. "Uhmn ok." He got up and went to the massive closet in the room. He rummaged around and finally emerged with something light blue. He gave it to me then went to the bed where his hat lay. He put it on and walked out the room shutting the door behind him. I unfold what he gave me. It was a blue dress very similar like my old one. I blow my bangs out of my eyes. What? Is this my uniform? But it is comforting to have something somewhat normal.

I go out the room. Again, I see the hall lined with portraits of humans. I have to remember to ask Hatter about those. They seem so out of place in an out of place world. I walk down the hall. I now notice the wallpaper. It seems to move and change as I walk. Black roses against a light blue, they bloom then shrivel then the petals fall. Every step I take it changes in that order. I smile. It's beautiful and unique. Like all things in Wonderland.

I get to the dining room. Again the large table is lined with animals and creatures that are on my side. I feel useless at this point. All of these people here are for the cause that I supposedly started, but what do I do in return? Nothing. In fact, it was Hatter who had made the plans for my rescue from the castle. No bravery or courage on my part. No great escape from Alice. Well that changes now. I now have a goal.

I set off to find the Hatter. I ask people if they've seen him. They have, in the kitchen. I'm determined now. I go into the hall that everyone had pointed to. I follow the smells and I remember that I'm hungry. My mouth begins to water and I reach the kitchen. It. Is. Huge. The kitchen could be a whole other part of this strange house. I spot the Hare across the steamed room. "Hare!" I yell out over the other shouters. He has a chef's hat with holes cut out so that his ears may stand straight and a tray of sweets. I swerve and duck around and under other people with trays to get to him. "Ah, hello Alice. I'm a bit busy at this precise and current." I take a sweet from his tray and pop it into my mouth with an apologetic smile. " I was just wondering where Hatter is" I say. He fidgets a little and doesn't look me in the eye. "Well uh, he isn't here. I um have to go distribute these." He lifts the tray and hurries past me. I follow him into the dining room.

The table is again crowded with creatures of Wonderland. The Hatter's chair is empty. The Rabbit sits in his usual spot with a steaming cup of tea. I go to him and sit down. "Tea?" He asks. "Please and thank you." I say as he pours me a cup. I sip at it and then casually ask " You don't happen to know where Hatter is do you?" He hesitates and closes his eyes and sips at his tea. "Mmmmm. Nothing like a warm cup of tea at the wakening hour." I roll my eyes. "You do know then." He finally opens his eyes and sets his cup down. "I won't lie to you Alice; I don't know where he is. All I know is that the Hatter told me specifically not to tell you anything about his whereabouts if I did have a clue as to where he was." I look up to him. He peers down at me from the corner of his eye. "Do you have a clue of his whereabouts?" I ask. He sighs and closes his eyes again. "Yes." He says. "And you won't tell me?" he get a frustrated look. "I don't think I even can Alice. Hatter would probably have the queen chop my head off." Now I'm curious. T Hatter doesn't usually keep things from me. Not like this. My thoughts are interrupted by the steady courses of food coming my way.


End file.
